Apparatus for raising, lowering, or hauling weights.



PATENTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

J. STEVBNSON, J. APPARATUS POR. RAISING, LOWERING, OR HAULING WEIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 22. 1903 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESES ,fr ron Nev;

No. 798,535. PATBNTED SEPT. 5, 1905. J. STBVBNSON, Jp.. APPARATUS TOR RATSING, LOWBRING, 0R HAULING WEIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED 1326.22, 1903 2 sHBBTs-sHsBT 2.

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JOHN STEVENSON, JR., (.)F PORTOBELLO, SCOTLAND.

Speccation of Letters atent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application filed December 22, 1903. Serial No. 186,223.

To /r/'m/n ff litr/jl/ coll/ecrit:

Be it known that .LJouN S'rnvnNsox, Jr., electrical engineer, a subject ot' the King ot' Great Britain, and a resident ot' Rowan Bank, Durham Road, Portobello, Scotland, have invented an Improved Apparatus t'or Raising',

Lowering, or Hauling lVeights, et' which the following` is a speeitication.

The object otl the apparatus is to provide means whereby when weights are to he raised or lowered or hauled by means ot' a flexible nletliiliii-si1eh as a rope, cord, or ehainthe following' ends can be obtained, namely:

A. The cord, rope, or chain cannot be strained beyond a certainpredetermined limit.

B. Brake-power can be readily thrown on the winding-drum in proportion to the weight being lifted or hauled to relieve or lessen the strain on the handle when unwinding.

C. The wear and tear on the rope can be lessened by having a large drum-barrel and also by preventing overriding ot' windings.

l). The approximate strain on the suspender can be indicated when approachingits maximum strain.

l will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying' sheets ot' drawings, whereon Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improved apparatus or winch. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ot' the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side to that shown in Fig. l. Figs. a, 5, and 6 are respectively side, bottom, and sectional views, showing the winch with the band-brake applied. Fig. 7 isa view of the levers /e f. Fig. 8 is a section of the winch-drum.

Referring to the drawings, whereon the same reference-letters wherever repeated indicate the same parts, l mount a metal drum a, free to rotate with its axle between two side 'frames or pillars c, cast on a suitably-designed base d and having the usual handle (not shown) Vt'or turning the drum. The side frames c, which support the drum-axle, are extended at j' out beyond the drum-axle journals to a point slightly exceeding the radius ot' the drumcheeks. At the extremity of these arms pivots g/ are arranged, on which two lever-arms /zy are loosely mounted. The outer end of one ot these arms e' is shaped (see Fig. 7) in such a way that it resembles a hammer-head, Vforming a step t" at the upper side and a catch 2, shaped to engage into ratchet-teeth j on the drum fz, at the lower side. lt has or may have also a projection t3. The other lever /t l hasa similar step /1' and projection /z". 'lhe l pivots y carry loosely short arms and i' which are held togetl'ier at their outer ends i by means ot' a spindle or rod n, onto which a l loosely-litted grooved pulley j) is slipped, so that it is free to travel along' the spindle. The levers /l f are extended downward beyond the axle to form levers so proportioned that the power at their extremities will be such that a spring or springs can be applied to overcome the torce exerted on the suspending-rope g, which passes round the pulley p to the drum (l. l prefer to arrange the tension -regulating springs in the manner shown at Figs. l and 5 MAthat is, `four springs r are fastened to the base l at one end and to a slidable cross-bar s, working on guide-pins s, at the other end. 'lhe ends ot' the levers are connected with a cross-bar f, provided with a screw u, which works through a free hole in the bar t and into a tapped hole in the har s. By manipulating this screw u the ten sion pnt upon the levers can be increased or diminished, as required. A band-brake fr is attached at one end to the base and passes round a flat groove n on the drum and terminates on a swivel-joint lr/ on the arm ot' the spindle o. Cams u' are lixed on the ends ot' the spindle o and are so designed that they can be made to engage with and bear against the steps /i f" ot' the levers /t z'. Fixed also on the end ot' the spindle o is a wheel u', whose teeth engage with those ot' a segmental wheel a, mounted loosely on the pivot y. The segmental wheel is projected beyond its pivot and `forms a cam a, which is provided with stops fr :rt Between the stops :r3 ai* a movable linger y, loosely mounted on the pivot y, can work. The linger 1/ is caused to move against one or other of the stops by means of an arm 5, rigidly litted to the axle On the lower face of one of the cheeks c is an electric indicating device for lighting an electric lamp or ringing' a bell whenever the strain on the rope q reaches a certain amount. l'lhis device may consist ot' a vulcanite or other insulator .2, having a thin metal strip projectingoutward and which is capable of being brought into contact with a pin e on the lever a. ,2" and are binding-screws for the conductors. The plate e forms one contact with the terminal e", and the terminal .25, which terms the othercontact, is connected direct to the 'frame t', and thus is in circuit with the pin .23.

The indicator is connected in bridge with ILO the terminals and the circuit is closed by the raising of the lever It, bringing the pin into contact with the strip .42, thereby lighting the lamp or-sounding the bell. It will be seen that the strip is slightly bent or stepped near its end.

To enable the barrel Z to bc made of large diameter, so as to lessen the wear and tear on the rope q without unduly adding to its weight, the drum can be built up, as shown at IfigzS-that is to say, the cheeks ci can be separately cast, one cheek having the ratchetwheel j cast or clamped on its outer side and a circular groove m on its inner side, while the other cheek has a step m cast on it to support the barrel Z2 of the drum. The barrel rests at one side on the step m and at the other side in the groove m. The barrel may be a cast or wrought iron tube, and the axle passing through the center clamps and locks the cheeks to the cylinder by means'of keys m2, pins, nuts, or some such devices.

The action of the device is as follows: The rope q (or chain) passes over the drum and round the under side of the guide-pulley p and rests in the groove thereof, continuing over a pulley to the object to be raised and lowered. When a strain is being applied to the rope by turning the drum, the tension tends to force the arms and Z, on which the spindle o of the loose pulley is mounted, toward the base (Z, thereby turning the spindle 0 by the wheel w turning on the segment x/ and causing the cams w to engage with and press against the steps it z" of the levers 7L t', as shown at Figs. l and 3. This movement forces or tends to force the ends of the lever-arms outward against the action of the springs r at their Vextremities and does force them out immediately the strain on the rope exceeds the pressure of the springs, thereby causing the catch on the lever t' to engage with the ratchet-teeth j' on the drum and lock the latter, thus preventing any further strain being put on the rope.

When the strain on the rope reaches a certain predetermined point, the electrical device is arranged to come into action and by the contact of the strip .e2 with the pin e3 to close the local circuit and light the lamp or so'und the bell, thereby indicating to the attendant that further strain should not be put on the rope.

When the object is being' lowered, the band-brake can be automatically applied by the arm z of the aXle (as the latter turns with the drum) striking against the linger y and ultimately throwing it over to the position shown at Figs. i and 6. The finger y strikes against the stop w3 and moves the segment m' so as to turn the wheel ce and move the cams w out of engagement with the steps ZL' e" of the levers Z1, Z, thereby permitting the ropeto act on the pulley p and spindle 0 and bring the arms 7e Z into a line nearly parallel with the base CZ, thereby moving the swivel-joint Qi' so as to tighten the band fu on the drum. The brake is taken off by turning the axle as if for winding up the rope, so as to cause the armz to strike the finger g/ and throw it over against the stop m* and turn the segment a" and wheel rt' so as to bring the cams w into the position shown at Figs. 1 and 3. The cams as they move along the steps Zt' t" force back the spindle 0 and arms 1 Z, and thereby take off the brake.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In apparatus for raising, lowering and hauling weights, the combination with a winding-drum with rope or chain, a frame carrying the drum, means for operating the drum, a band-brake for the drum connected with a spindle carried on arms pivoted on said frame, and a pulley on said spindle acted on by the rope or chain.

2. In apparatus for raising, lowering and hauling weights, the combination with a winding-drum with rope or chain, a frame carrying the drum, means for operating the drum, a band-brake for the drum connected with a spindle carried on arms pivoted on said frame, cams on said spindle, means for partially rotating the cams when the drum is turned in one direction and also when it is turned in the opposite direction, levers acting in conjunction with the cams to take off the brake and a pulley on. said spindle acted on by the rope or chain.

3. In combination, a winding-drum, a frame therefor, a band-brake for the drum, winding means, means vwhereby the drum is automatically locked whenever the tension on the winding means reaches a certain predetermined limit and means for regulating or determining the limit.

4. In an apparatus for raising, lowering and hauling weights, the combination with winding means, a brake therefor, and means for applying the brake, when the strain on the winding means has reached a predetermined point, said means being controlled by the Weight.

5. In an apparatus for raising, lowering and hauling weights, the combination with a winding-drum, of a band-brake therefor, a spindle to which said brake is connected, a pulley on said spindle, a winding-rope running over said pulley, levers, springs holding the same, cams for acting on said levers and means connected to said spindle for taking oif the brake when the weight is being raised or hauled, said means acting through the cams and levers.

6. In combination, awindingdrum, aframe therefor, a band-brake for the drum aspindle, means connecting the band-brake with the spindle, cams on the spindle, gear for turningthe spindle, levers and springs connected IIC) wheel 0n the spindle round which the winding' rope or chain passes and a locking` tooth 0r pawl on the lever adapted to engage with and leek in the teeth of the drum s0 as to prevent the drnm beingturned when the tension on the windingrope 0r chain exceeds a certain predetermined limit.

Signed at Glasgow this 10th dasv of December, 1903.

JOHN STEVENSGN, JUNI-: lVitnesses:

J No. \V. FADZAN, WILLIAM FLmuNe. 

